Why Should I Smile? (Ch 3) (Patreon)

A typical day at the Hero Public Safety Committee's filing department is boring. Extremely boring. Given the fact that practically all their work revolves around heroes, they rarely ever get any work. The exception, of course, is when the Licensing Exam for hero schools rolls around. It ends up as a busy two months, given that for whatever reason the higher ups decided to cram all the exams together, rather than spread them out over the course of the year.

Other than licensing heroes, they also deal with retiring or dead heroes. Unfortunately, the latter is far more common than the former. Not that the news likes to publicize that of course. It would tarnish the reputation of heroes everywhere if people became aware of just how often they fell victim to villains. That’s not even counting the ones that perish due to idiotic accidents. 

But for Hikan Ges, those are distant things. His job is just to make sure that things get filed properly. Not an easy thing considering how the HPSC requires paper copies along with digital copies. Thankfully he has a limited quirk-use license to help him work. Organize isn’t particularly useful outside of doing what it says, but as long as he sets the parameters correctly, all he has to do is sit back and bask in the ease of work.

But today he can’t help but frown. Because instead of heading to where it’s supposed to, a single piece of paper instead sits on his desk. One of the parameters he set for his quirk is that anything improperly filed out would go into the box labeled ‘return’. But this paper didn’t go there. Which means that it’s either a prank, or something that hasn’t been filed before.

He’s more in the mind to think of it as a prank. After all, what are the odds that nobody has filed this particular form before? It’s with that mindset that he deigns to take a look at it. He doesn’t get far, not even past the title before his brows furrow. “The hell is the ‘Quirkless Defense Act’?”

Clearly it’s a prank, right?

And that’s exactly what he asks his superior, who’s equally as baffled. “Well, it looks like it’s an official document…”

Ges gives him an incredulous look. “You can’t be serious. If it’s an actual thing, why hasn’t it been filed before?”

His superior shrugs. “No idea. Maybe it’s just overly obscure? What’s it do, anyways?”

Ges rolls his eyes, giving the paper a complete read through. Then he blinks. He re-reads it, a frown building on his face. He suddenly pulls out his phone, googling the Act in question. After finding that it actually is an official document, he grinds his teeth, anger flashing in his eyes.

“Oh, someone is going to fucking pay for hiding the fact that this is a thing!”

His superior gives him a look of surprise, the outburst seemingly coming out of nowhere. “Ges? What’s wrong? What’s the Act do?”

His voice comes out as a growl. “Apparently it gives quirkless people permission to carry ‘protective equipment’ to defend themselves in the case a quirked individual attacks them. Including guns!”

“The hell!? Really?” The superior is taken aback for a moment before frowning. “Wait, since when is that a thing? I can see why you would be upset given that the gun laws are usually so strict, but-”

“That’s not it!” Ges shouts, slamming a fist onto his desk before taking a deep breath and closing his eyes to calm down. “My little sister was quirkless, and some evil little shits at her highschool decided that gave them free reign to use their quirks on her for ‘training’. Her body was found behind the school less than a week after she started.”

The superior winces, putting a comforting hand on his subordinate’s shoulder, who gestures to the paper in his hand. “If our parents knew about this, then she could have protected herself! Yes, the fuckers were arrested for first-degree murder since they’d apparently been attacking her consistently for a week, and the teachers as well since they allowed it, but…”

He clenches his fist. “If this thing was more well known, then she could have stopped them before things went that far.”

There’s not much the superior can say to that, so he just keeps his hand on Ges’ shoulder. But when Ges shoots him an ominous grin, he can’t help but flinch a little. “I can’t wait for the next time someone targets this Izuku Midoriya kid. Their bullies are going to be in for a well-deserved surprise.”

`~`

I idly tap my chest in front of Aldera Junior High, finding my emotions odd. Though I suppose it would be more accurate to say that I’m simply feeling odd? The emptiness I felt ever since All Might explained how becoming a hero was a pipe dream feels like its filled a bit. My emotions are still muted though. I think. Or maybe it would be more accurate to say that they’re essentially gone. But I’ve faked my emotions enough throughout my life that it shouldn’t be a problem. Maybe I’ll even be able to trick myself into feeling again.

I take a deep breath, letting it out slowly as I make my way into Aldera Junior High. Hopefully for the last time. With any luck, I’ll get my results back by lunch at the latest so I won’t have to rush to meet up with Mt. Lady. I also have a change of clothes stuffed in my backpack so that I won’t look like a fanboy who ditched school to stalk the new hero.

Meanwhile my protection is properly mounted and secured, so there won’t be any risk of it being damaged on that front. My permit is in my wallet, just in case anyone tries to accuse me of breaking the law. I also have a copy of said law. Overall, I shouldn’t have any difficulty dealing with assailants at school today.

But for whatever reason, nobody is making any moves towards me. In fact, it seems like people are avoiding me? Strange… I wonder what’s going on? It couldn’t just be the fact that I’m not smiling, could it? Everyone always complained about how creepy it was anyways… Which is fair. What kind of person will smile through and after a beating, or while being insulted?

Whatever the case is, I manage to make it to the classroom without being accosted. My luck seems to hold since Bakugou isn’t here yet either. I take my seat, shifting a bit to make the new addition to my outfit rest more comfortably.

Those who show up to class leave me alone, restricting themselves to sending me looks rather than the physical or verbal abuse they typically would. I find my eyes wandering the room, confused about the reactions of those whose eyes I meet, flinching back and quickly looking away. Eventually though, they come to rest on the single person who hasn’t targeted me. Not that they’ve ever helped me either, but she hasn’t bullied me either. Which makes them the single nicest person in the entire school.

Honote Mukan sits next to me. Shoulder length bob cut, coloring is a light brunette that toes the line of crossing into orange. She says her quirk is flame hands, and has displayed that capability before, but I’m not so sure. If that’s all it was, then whenever she turned her hands to flames the cuffs of her school uniform would catch on fire, or at the very least char. But they’re always seemingly unaffected.

Well, I doubt that I’ll have an opportunity to ever properly analyze her quirk, but I hope the present I have for her will at the very least be appreciated. I did work hard on cleaning it up over the weekend in preparation for leaving the school.

Bakugou swaggers into the classroom mere moments before the bell rings, signaling the start of class. Of course the teacher doesn’t say anything about him not already being in his seat, instead simply calling roll. Bakugou doesn’t even glance at me as he leans back in his seat, planting his feet on the desk as if he were at home. Though I doubt that Aunt Mitsuki would tolerate him putting his dirty feet on her clean furniture.

The teacher skips over my name, making a mark on his paper while looking directly at me. Probably marking me absent even though I’m clearly here. Again. Just another reason to be excited to get my results back. Whoo.

To my surprise I feel my phone vibrate only an hour into class. Pulling it out, I open my email and see the expected message from the Board of Education, though admittedly much sooner than I thought I would. Opening it, I see-

“Midoriya! Detention! No phones in class.” I look up and see the teacher scowling at me, his obvious toupee simply showcasing the size of his forehead. I glance back down at my phone before grabbing my bag and standing up.

“Apologies, but as of now I’m no longer a student here. Therefore you have no authority over me.” I turn to the person next to me, pulling out a notebook and gently putting it on her desk, ignoring the shock everyone else is displaying as they look at me.

“Here you go. Unlike most of the others here, you’re actually training to become a hero and are the least terrible personality-wise. I hope my analysis helps you.” I turn away and try making my way to the door. Key word being ‘try’.

Bakugou shoots up from his seat, stomping towards me and grabbing me by the collar. “The hell you trying to pull, Deku!? Are you trying to act cool by walking out of here!? Bullshit, you’re nothing!”

I sigh, having expected something like this to happen. Bakugou is much too volatile to have simply let us go our separate ways. “No, Bakugou, I’m not. I just got back my results for my early graduation test. I passed, so I’ve officially graduated middle school.”

His free hand starts to spark as he grinds his teeth, even as surprise flashes in his eyes. “Bullshit! There’s no way you’re smart enough to test out a whole damn year! The fuck you think you’re trying to impress with this fake ass stunt!?”

I roll my eyes in exasperation and his anger clearly spikes. Given the sparks coming off his hand, I legally do have permission, but I’m still a bit reluctant. So long as he doesn’t activate a full explosion or make a move to attack me, then I’m content to let it slide. Only this once though,

I give him an unimpressed look. “Why would I want to impress anyone here? Ninety-nine percent of the school’s population outright hate me for my lack of a quirk. Not to mention that the staff consistently falsify my grades and look for any excuse to punish me.”

The entire class ignores the teacher’s sudden sputtering, their eyes on us as Bakugou growls, smoke rising from my collar as he pulls his free hand back. I’m disappointed in him.

Before he can bring his fist into my face, a click resounds throughout the classroom. Bakugou stills, the noise striking a memory in his mind. It’s a memory that varies between person to person, but has become deeply embedded into the social consciousness due to the prevalence of both the media, and the entertainment industry.

He slowly looks down, and sees my father’s old Desert Eagle pressed to his stomach. The classroom is engulfed in a deadly silence, everybody seemingly holding their breaths at the sudden turn of events. I’m the one to break it.

“Bakugou,” my voice is eerily calm, judging by the way he shivers, “I am fully within my right to shoot you. So long as you let me leave in peace, I won’t do that. But know that if you don’t, I will not hesitate. It would be unfortunate for you to obtain a debilitating injury before you even become a pro hero.”

He says nothing, which actually speaks volumes. I’m happy that he’s taking this seriously, it gives me hope that he can actually turn out to be a good hero who doesn’t abuse the people he’s supposed to protect.

I back away, pulling my collar from his limp grip, keeping my gun trained on him my entire way to the door. I don’t look away, watching as his pale face goes through a variety of emotions so quickly that I can’t tell what they are before eventually settling on his most common emotion as I step back through the doorway.

Rage.

I slide the door closed, ignoring the shouts and explosions that suddenly fill the room. I take a deep breath as I secure the gun again, gripping the straps of my yellow backpack as I take my first steps away from the life I’ve always lived, and towards a life I never expected. I don’t know what it holds, but at least I know it will be interesting.

Regardless of how long it lasts.

Why does the HPSC have the file instead of the government? Well, they actually both have a copy. The HPSC has one since any 1/4 decent hero would obviously try to stop someone they see with a gun. Them getting a copy of the file is meant to be so they can spread the information and stop problems from occurring. If the heroes actually listen, that is.

Also, HPSC is not blanket evil. Mildly-moderately corrupt, yes, but not evil.

P.S: The girl is actually at Aldera if you look at the first episode, and since we never get any information on them, I figured why not.